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Patient Care Technician (PCT)

Definition & Purpose

The Patient Care Technicians (PCT) possess a bundle of skills to provide direct patient care under the supervision of nurses, doctors and other healthcare professionals. Patient Care Technician skills include phlebotomy, performing electrocardiograms (EKGs), urinary catheterization, glucose monitoring, recording vital signs and other various bedside patient care skills. The Patient Care Technician may also be referred to as nurses' assistant, CNA, health care assistant and nurse aide depending on the facility and nature of the organization. The Patient Care Technician helps patients that need special care while they are in hospitals, nursing homes, rehabilitation clinics, assisted living facilities etc. Common tasks that PCT's perform are assisting patients with getting out of bed, eating, bathing , supervising medicine intake, do range of motion exercises, transferring patients to and from wheelchair, assist with ambulation etc.

Patient Care Technicians perform a variety of tasks. Components of treatment procedures performed by these workers, under the direction and supervision of nurses, involve exercises, administration of medicine, feeding patients, bedside care, hot and cold packs, bathing and transferring patients.

In addition to lecture this program offers students practical exercises in the laboratory and with job experience during the clinical portion of training conducted off-campus at medical facilities.

Employment is found in hospitals and some outpatient settings.

Job opportunities are good. The role of the patient care technician continues to evolve and expand. The position also is a path to a nursing career.

Patient Care Technicians may earn between $20,000 - $36,000 annually

Course Outline

Concept of team Role classification Delegation process Model of leadership Management / organization skills Benefits of teams Interpersonal dynamics Communication Sending and receiving information in health care End of shift reports Making observations Problem solving / analysis Reporting Documentation Developing professionalism Introduction to health care and assistant nursing Medical terminology Related anatomy and physiology Safety and body mechanics Admissions and discharge Specimen collection

Communication skills Taking and recording temperature, blood pressure Patient assisted skills Basic nursing skills BLS training for health care providers (CPR + AED) Record keeping Phlebotomy practice Clinical lab procedures Human relations training Legal aspects of phlebotomy Sterilization techniques Infection control EKG techniques Sinus mechanism Atrial Rhythms Junctional rhythms Ventricular Rhythms Atrioventricular (AV) blocks Pacemaker rhythms Introduction to the lead ECG 12-Lead EKG operational technique and EKG interpretation

This course prepares you for the following certification exams:

• (CPCT / CPCA / CNT): Certified Patient Care Technician / Patient Care Associate / Nurse Technician
• Please visit the official NHA website for the latest certification information

Chicago: (312) 920-8822

Oak Brook: (630) 705-9999

Prerequisites

• High School Diploma or G.E.D equivalent

Hours: 425